Shoe upper

ABSTRACT

A shoe upper for a shoe, in particular a sports shoe, is provided having a first portion and a second portion that are jointly manufactured as a knitted fabric, wherein only one of the first portion and the second portion the knitted fabric is reinforced by a coating of a polymer material applied to the shoe upper.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This application is related to and claims priority benefits from GermanPatent Application No. DE 10 2012 206062.6, filed on Apr. 13, 2012,entitled SHOE UPPER (“the '062 application”), and European PatentApplication No. 13161357.2, filed on Mar. 27, 2013, entitled SHOE UPPER(“the '357 application”). The '062 and '357 applications are herebyincorporated herein in their entireties by this reference.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a shoe upper for a shoe, in particulara sports shoe, comprising a knitted fabric, and to a method ofmanufacture of such a shoe upper.

BACKGROUND

Conventional shoes essentially comprise two elements: a sole and a shoeupper. Whereas a sole often consists of only one material (e.g. rubberor leather) or of only a few materials, various materials are often usedin a shoe upper for different parts of the foot, in order to providedifferent functions. As a result, there are various individual parts. Atypical shoe upper for a sports shoe may comprise more than fifteenparts. During manufacture, the assembly of these parts is particularlytime-consuming and often carried out by manual labor. Moreover, such amanufacturing technique produces a large amount of waste.

In order to reduce production efforts, it is therefore known to knit ashoe upper in one piece. Knitting shoe uppers has the advantage thatthey can be manufactured in one piece but may still comprise variousstructures with a variety of characteristics. Moreover, the one pieceshoe upper is already manufactured in its final shape and usually onlyrequires to be closed in one section. This approach does not produce anywaste by the final shape being cut out. Knitted shoe uppers aredescribed in U.S. Pat. No. 2,147,197, U.S. Pat. No. 1,888,172, U.S. Pat.No. 5,345,638, and WO 90/03744, for example.

U.S. Pat. No. 7,774,956 describes a shoe upper with zones of multipleproperties (e.g. stretchability) by using different yarns and/or stitchpatterns. Additionally, pockets, tunnels, or layered structures aremanufactured by knitting. US 2011/0078921 describes a shoe upper inwhich various elements, such as e.g. the tongue or the upper edge of theheel, are manufactured by knitting.

In contrast to woven textile materials or other less elastic materials,a knitted shoe upper has considerably greater stretchability, owing tothe textile structure created by intertwined stitches. It may thereforebe desirable to reduce the stretchability of the knitted material foruse as a shoe upper. U.S. Pat. No. 2,314,098 describes a shoe upper,certain portions of which are stiffened by the use of yarns for thetextile material that contain synthetic filaments, which are heattreated so that the textile material melts and subsequently solidifies.US 2010/0154256 describes a thermoplastic yarn that is melted indifferent regions. The use of thermoplastic yarns for knitting shoeuppers and subsequent thermal treatment for altering the properties ofthe material or for shaping are described in U.S. Pat. No. 2,314,098,U.S. Pat. No. 2,641,004, U.S. Pat. No. 2,440,393, and US 2010/0154256.

Reduced stretching of a knitted shoe upper by applied structures isdescribed in U.S. Pat. No. 7,637,032, U.S. Pat. No. 7,347,011, and U.S.Pat. No. 6,931,762. In U.S. Pat. No. 4,785,558, a shoe upper consists ofan outer knit fabric layer and an inner knit fabric layer connected by asynthetic monofilament in order to achieve suitable elasticity and airpermeability.

U.S. Pat. No. 7,047,668 and U.S. Pat. No. 4,447,967 describe shoe upperswith a polymeric outer layer manufactured in a mold and an inner layerformed of a textile material. In DE 10 2009 028 627, a shoe upper isreinforced by reinforcement ribs on the inside.

However, the previous solutions for limiting the stretchability ofknitted shoe uppers have disadvantages. The use of thermoplasticmaterials alters the appearance of the knitted textile material andlimits design options. The use of additionally applied structures alsoalters the appearance of the knitted textile material, since they areapplied to the outside of the shoe upper. Moreover, the number of partsof the shoe upper and thus the manufacturing effort is increased.Applying them on the inside might cause pressure sores at the footleading to a limitation of the design of the outside of the shoe upper.The shape of the applied structures also reduces stretchability only incertain directions.

In view of the prior art, it is therefore an object of the presentinvention to provide a shoe upper with knitted fabric, which overcomesthe described disadvantages and which effectively limits thestretchability of the knitted fabric without the outer appearance of theknitted fabric being adversely affected.

SUMMARY

The terms “invention,” “the invention,” “this invention” and “thepresent invention” used in this patent are intended to refer broadly toall of the subject matter of this patent and the patent claims below.Statements containing these terms should be understood not to limit thesubject matter described herein or to limit the meaning or scope of thepatent claims below. Embodiments of the invention covered by this patentare defined by the claims below, not this summary. This summary is ahigh-level overview of various aspects of the invention and introducessome of the concepts that are further described in the DetailedDescription section below. This summary is not intended to identify keyor essential features of the claimed subject matter, nor is it intendedto be used in isolation to determine the scope of the claimed subjectmatter. The subject matter should be understood by reference toappropriate portions of the entire specification of this patent, any orall drawings and each claim.

According to a first aspect, this problem is solved by a shoe upper fora shoe, in particular a sports shoe in accordance with claim 1. The shoeupper comprises a first portion and a second portion, which are jointlymanufactured as a knitted fabric, wherein only one of the portions isreinforced by a coating of a polymer material applied to the shoe upper.

Due to the applied polymer coating, the stretchability of the knittedfabric is specifically reduced in a portion without affecting the outerappearance of the knitted fabric and without limiting the design optionsof the knitted fabric. Thus, the structure of the knitted fabric doesnot have to be altered in order to achieve its advantages such asincreased air permeability. At the same time, the stretchability of theknitted fabric is effectively reduced in any desired directions ofmovement. The polymer coating furthermore increases the stiffness andstability of the knitted fabric.

In further embodiments, the knitted fabric is weft-knitted orwarp-knitted. Flat knitted fabric has the advantage that the outline ofthe shoe upper is manufactured directly, without having to subsequentlycut out the knitted fabric and to process it further at the edges.

According to some embodiments, the coating of a polymer material isapplied to the inside of the shoe upper. Thus, the outer appearance ofthe knitted fabric remains unaffected by the polymer layer.

The polymer material may be applied to the shoe upper in a liquid state.In some embodiments, the polymer material has a viscosity in the rangeof about 15-80 Pa·s at about 90-150° C., and may further have aviscosity in the range of about 15-50 Pa·s at about 110-150° C. Further,the applied polymer material may have a hardness in the range of about40-60 shore D. These values provide the necessary reduction ofstretchability of the knitted fabric but maintain the requiredelasticity of the knitted fabric.

The polymer material may be applied in layers with a thickness of about0.2-1 mm. The polymer material may also be applied in several layers,e.g. on top of each other or in an overlapping fashion. Thus, thepolymer material can be sprayed on and adjusted to the respectiverequirements on the overall thickness of the polymer material. In thisregard, several layers, e.g. at least two layers, may have differentthicknesses. There may be continuous transitions between areas ofdifferent thicknesses, in which the thickness of the polymer materialcontinuously increases or decreases, respectively. In the same manner,two different polymer materials may be used in different areas in orderto achieve desired properties.

The portion that is reinforced with the polymer material may be arrangedin the toe area, the heel area, in the area of the tongue, on a lateralside in the midfoot area and/or on a medial side in the midfoot area ofthe shoe upper. Reducing stretching of the knitted fabric by a polymermaterial is particularly desirable in these areas. Further reinforcedareas may be the area of the eyelets, the area of the sole or the ankles(if the shoes are sufficiently high).

According to certain embodiments, the first and/or the second portion ofthe knitted fabric comprises a first textile layer and a second textilelayer, wherein the first textile layer comprises a yarn, and wherein thesecond textile layer comprises a monofilament. It is preferable for theportion coated with the polymer material to comprise the first textilelayer and the second textile layer. It is also preferable for the secondtextile layer to be coated with the polymer material, i.e. the polymermaterial is arranged on the second textile layer. In other embodiments,it may be preferable that the portion comprising the first textile layerand the second textile layer is arranged in the area of the toes, themidfoot, the heel and/or the eyelets of the shoe upper.

In certain embodiments, the knitted textile furthermore comprises a fuseyarn comprising a thermoplastic material. The fuse yarn may be arranged(e.g. knitted into) in the first textile layer and/or the second textilelayer. Furthermore, the fuse yarn may be arranged between the firsttextile layer and the second textile layer (e.g. placed between thelayers). Upon applying pressure and temperature, the fuse yarn fuseswith the knitted material and reinforces the knitted fabric. In doingso, the arrangement of the fuse yarn between the first textile layer andthe second textile layer has the advantage that the mould does not getdirty during pressing. In certain embodiments, the material should notbe in direct contact with the mould.

In certain embodiments, the first textile layer and the second textilelayer are connected by weft-knitting or by warp-knitting. Thus, themonofilament, which is less elastic, can effectively reduce stretchingof the more elastic yarn. This reduces stretching of the knitted fabric,wherein every single stitch is limited in stretching.

A further aspect of the invention is a shoe upper for a shoe, inparticular a sports shoe with a least one portion comprising aweft-knitted fabric. The weft-knitted fabric comprises a firstweft-knitted layer of a yarn and a second weft-knitted layer of amonofilament. The second weft-knitted layer and the first weft-knittedlayer are connected such that the stretching of the first weft-knittedlayer is reduced by the second weft-knitted layer.

The second weft-knitted layer may be only connected to the firstweft-knitted layer. The second textile layer may be knitted into thefirst textile layer, i.e. the first and second textile layers may beinterknitted. As a result, stretching of the first weft-knitted layercan be effectively reduced by the second weft-knitted layer, since themonofilaments of the second weft-knitted layer are not elasticallydeformable. While the second textile layer of a monofilament is indeedstretchable due to its stitches, it is considerably less than the firsttextile layer of yarn.

Preferably, the first textile layer comprises apertures for ventilation.Further, the second textile layer may comprise larger stitches than thefirst textile layer.

Further aspects of the invention include a method of manufacture of ashoe upper for a shoe, in particular a sports shoe, wherein the shoeupper comprises a first portion and a second portion that are jointlymanufactured as knitted fabric. The method comprises a step of applyinga polymer layer as a coating in only one of the two portions of the shoeupper.

The method may further comprise a step of pressing the polymer coatedportion of the shoe upper under pressure and heat. The polymer melts dueto pressure and heat and fuses with the yarn. Thus, the stiffness of theknitted fabric is increased and its stretching is decreased in thecoated portion.

The polymer coating may be sprayed on, applied with a scraper or coatingknife or by laying on. By means of such method steps the polymermaterial can be applied to the portion to be coated with particularease.

In other embodiments, the knitted fabric comprises a first textile layerand a second textile layer, wherein the first textile layer comprises ayarn, and wherein the second textile layer comprises a monofilament. Inthis regard, the method further comprises the steps of applying thepolymer material to the second textile layer and subjecting the shoeupper to pressure and heat, wherein the polymer material melts andpenetrates the second textile layer, thus essentially coating the firsttextile layer. In the second step, the polymer material essentiallyconnects to the fibers of the first textile layer, thus reinforcing thefirst textile layer. During this process, stitches are positionedrelative to each other, either at their points of intersection or by theentire stitch being surrounded by the polymer and thus positioned orotherwise secured.

In further embodiments, an additional step of the method iscompression-molding the coated textile material. By compression-moldingthe coated textile material the shoe upper can be provided with acertain shape in certain areas, e.g. a curved shape in the area of theheel or the toes. The shape of the shoe upper can either be adjusted tothe last or to the foot itself.

In this regard, the yarn of the first textile layer and the monofilamentof the second textile layer may comprise a higher melting point than thepolymer material. Thus, it is possible that only the polymer materialmelts at suitable temperatures and fuses with the yarn of the firsttextile layer, without the yarn and the monofilament being destroyed ordamaged.

In some embodiments, the yarn of the first textile layer comprises afuse yarn, which comprises a thermoplastic material. Thus, the fuse yarncan fuse with the yarn and reinforce it when subjected to heat andpressure. Therein, it may be desirable for the monofilament and the yarnto comprise a higher melting point than the fuse yarn so that only thefuse yarn melts at suitably selected temperatures during pressing. Inthis regard, it may also be desirable that the monofilament and the yarncomprise a higher melting point than the thermoplastic material of thefuse yarn.

Further embodiments are described in further dependent patent claims.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

In the following detailed description, embodiments of the invention aredescribed referring to the following figures:

FIG. 1 is a schematic representation of textile structures.

FIG. 2 is an overview of types of knitted fabrics.

FIG. 3 are cross-sectional views of fibers for yarns that are used in ashoe upper according to certain embodiments of the present invention.

FIG. 4 are front and back views for a weft-knitted fabric according tocertain embodiments of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a schematic representation of a shoe upper according tocertain embodiments of the present invention.

FIG. 6 is a close-up view of a weft-knitted fabric with two layersaccording to certain embodiments of the present invention.

FIG. 7 is a side perspective view of a heel area and a shoe collar of ashoe upper according to certain embodiments of the present invention.

FIG. 8 are top and bottom views of a shoe upper according to certainembodiments of the present invention and a shoe with this shoe upper.

FIG. 9 is a top view of a shoe upper according to certain embodiments ofthe present invention and a shoe with this shoe upper.

FIG. 10 are views of a three-dimensional molding of a shoe upperaccording to certain embodiments of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The subject matter of embodiments of the present invention is describedhere with specificity to meet statutory requirements, but thisdescription is not necessarily intended to limit the scope of theclaims. The claimed subject matter may be embodied in other ways, mayinclude different elements or steps, and may be used in conjunction withother existing or future technologies. This description should not beinterpreted as implying any particular order or arrangement among orbetween various steps or elements except when the order of individualsteps or arrangement of elements is explicitly described.

In the following, embodiments and variations of the present inventionare described in more detail referring to a shoe upper for a shoe, inparticular a sports shoe. However, the present invention can also beused otherwise, e.g. for clothing or accessories where supportingfunctions, stiffening, increased abrasion resistance, elimination ofstretchability, increased comfort and precise fit to prescribedgeometries are required.

The use of the weft-knitting technique enables a shoe upper to compriseareas with different characteristics, while it still can be manufacturedin one single operation. The various characteristics or functions of theareas include stiffness, stability and comfort, for example. Varioustechniques are used in order to achieve such characteristics orfunctions, which will be described in the following. The describedtechniques include suitable knitting techniques (e.g. Jacquard, inlaidworks and/or gusset technique), the selection of fibers and yarns, thecoating of the textile material with a polymer, the use ofmonofilaments, the combination of monofilaments and polymer coating, theapplication of fuse yarns and multi-layer textile material. These andother techniques will be explained in the following, before embodimentsof shoe uppers will be described that apply these techniques.

5.1 Textile Material

As shown in FIG. 1, a woven textile material 10 is of lesser complexitythan a weft-knitted textile material 11, 12 or warp-knitted textilematerial 13. Weft-knitted and warp-knitted textile materials are alsoreferred to as knitted fabrics. The essential characteristic of knittedfabric is that it is manufactured from yarns that are looped to formso-called stitches.

Knitted fabrics constitute the majority of textile materials used forshoes. An essential advantage of knitted fabric over woven textiles isthe variety of structures and surfaces that can be created with it.Using essentially the same manufacturing technique, it is possible tomanufacture both very heavy and stiff materials and very soft,transparent and stretchable materials. The properties of the materialcan be influenced by the weft-knitting pattern, the yarn, and the needlesize.

Weft-knitted textile materials are currently used for the manufacture ofshoe uppers only to a limited extent, particularly for shoe lining.Textile materials of shoe uppers and the majority of shoe liningmaterials are mainly warp-knitted textile materials.

Weft-knitted textile materials 11, 12 are created by knitting with onethread from the left to the right. View 11 shows a front view and view12 shows a back view of a weft-knitted material. In contrast,warp-knitted textile materials 13 are created by warp-knitting with manythreads from the top to the bottom. The further classification ofwarp-knit goods and weft-knit goods is illustrated in FIG. 2. Theadvantages of weft-knitting over warp-knitting are essentially thegreater variability of stitch structures in terms of combinations andweft-knitting patterns that can be used in weft-knitting machines. Inparticular, it is possible to create individual zones of differentstructures with weft-knitting. By contrast, in case of warp-knitting,the entire product has to comprise the same structure. In addition,there is the possibility of functional weft-knitting (i.e. functionalknitted fabrics can be created by selecting the type of weft-knitting orthe yarn) and the possibility of giving the weft-knitted textilematerial a certain shape, i.e. an outline. This is impossible withwarp-knitting.

The manufacture of the final shape or outline is possible by flatknitting. To this end, a three-dimensional shape of the shoe upper hasto be created by closing a seam. Creating a final outline is notpossible in circular knitting. Here, it is necessary to cut out thefinal shape from the knitted material and to provide it with a seamalong the edge.

Thus, the weft-knitting technique allows manufacturing of textilematerials with different functional areas and simultaneously maintainingtheir outlines. As a result, it is possible to manufacture shoe uppersin one operation by means of the weft-knitting technique, as illustratedin FIGS. 5 and 7-9.

The structures of a weft-knitted material can be adjusted to functionalrequirements in certain areas, by weft-knitting patterns, the yarn orthe needle size being selected accordingly. It is possible, for example,to include structures with large stitches or apertures within theweft-knitted textile material in areas where ventilation is desired. Bycontrast, in areas where support and stability are desired, fine-meshedweft-knitting patterns, stiffer yarns or even multi-layeredweft-knitting structures can be used, which will be described in thefollowing. The thickness of the weft-knitted textile material is equallyvariable.

5.2 Fibers

Fibers are usually of a rather short length and are spun or twisted intothreads or yarns. However, fibers can also be long and twirled into ayarn. Fibers may consist of natural or synthetic materials. Naturalfibers include cotton, wool, alpaca, hemp, coconut fibers or silk. Amongthe synthetic fibers are polymer-based fibers such as nylon, polyester,Spandex or Kevlar, which can be produced as classic fibers or ashigh-performance or technical fibers.

The mechanical and physical properties of a fiber and the yarnmanufactured therefrom are also determined by the fiber's cross-section,as illustrated in FIG. 3. The different cross-sections, theirproperties, and examples of materials having such cross-sections will beexplained in the following.

A fiber having the circular cross-section 310 can either be solid orhollow. A solid fiber is the most frequent type; it allows easy bendingand is soft to the touch. A fiber as a hollow circle with the sameweight/length ratio as the solid fiber has a larger cross-section and ismore resistant to bending, since deformations occur during bending.Examples of fibers with a circular cross-section are nylon, polyester,and Lyocell.

A fiber having the bone-shaped cross-section 330 has the property ofwicking moisture. Examples of such fibers are acrylic or spandex. Theconcave areas in the middle of the fiber support moisture being passedon in the longitudinal direction, whereby moisture is rapidly wickedfrom a certain place and distributed.

The following further cross-sections are illustrated in FIG. 3:

-   -   Polygonal cross-section 311, hollow; example: flax;    -   Oval to round cross-section 312 with overlapping sections;        example: wool;    -   Flat, oval cross-section with expansion and convolution 313;        example: cotton;    -   Circular, serrated cross-section with partial striations 314;        example: rayon;    -   Lima bean cross-section 320; smooth surface;    -   Serrated lima bean cross-section 321, example: Avril rayon;    -   Triangular cross-section with rounded edges 322; example: silk;    -   Trilobal star cross-section 323; like triangular fiber with        shinier appearance;    -   Clubbed cross-section 324 with partial striations; sparkling        appearance; example: acetate;    -   Flat and broad cross-section 331; example: acetate;    -   Star-shaped or concertina cross section 332;    -   Cross-section in the shape of a collapsed tube with a hollow        center 333; and    -   Square cross-section with voids 334; example: Anso IV® nylon.

Individual fibers with their properties that are relevant for themanufacture of shoe uppers will be described in the following:

-   -   Aramid fibers: good resistance to abrasion and organic solvents;        non-conductive; temperature-resistant up to 500° C.; low        flammability; sensitive to acids, salts and UV radiation.    -   Para-aramid fibers: known under trade names Kevlar®, Technora®,        and Twaron®; outstanding strength-to-weight properties; high        Young's modulus and high tensile strength (higher than with        meta-aramides); low stretching and low elongation at break        (approx. 3.5%); difficult to dye.    -   Meta-aramides: known under trade names Nomex®, Teijinconex®,        NewStar®, X-Fiper™.    -   Dyneema® fibers: highest impact strength of any known        thermoplastics; highly resistant to corrosive chemicals, with        exception of oxidizing acids; extremely low moisture absorption;        very low coefficient of friction, which is significantly lower        than that of nylon and acetate and comparable to Teflon®;        self-lubricating; highly resistant to abrasion (15 times more        resistant to abrasion than carbon steel); better abrasion        resistance than Teflon®; odorless; tasteless; nontoxic.    -   Carbon fiber: an extremely thin fiber about 0.005-0.010 mm in        diameter, composed essentially of carbon atoms; highly stable        with regard to size; one yarn is formed from several thousand        carbon fibers; high tensile strength; low weight; low thermal        expansion; relatively expensive when compared to similar        materials such as fiberglass or plastic; very strong when        stretched or bent; weak when compressed or exposed to high shock        so that it will crack easily if hit with a hammer; thermal        conductivity; and electric conductivity, so that it is difficult        to manufacture textile materials in rooms with electronic        devices.    -   Glass fiber: high surface to weight ratio, whereas the increased        surface makes the glass fiber susceptible to chemical attack; by        trapping air within them, blocks of glass fibers provide good        thermal insulation; thermal conductivity of 0.05 W/(m×K); the        thinnest fibers are the strongest because the thinner fibers are        more ductile; the properties of the glass fibers are the same        along the fiber and across its cross-section, since glass has an        amorphous structure; moisture accumulates easily, which can        worsen microscopic cracks and surface defects and lessen tensile        strength; correlation between bending diameter of the fiber and        the fiber diameter; thermal, electrical and sound insulation;        higher stretching before it breaks than carbon fibers.

5.3 Yarns

The following yarns can be applied for textile materials for shoeuppers:

Functional yarns are capable of transporting moisture and thus ofabsorbing sweat and moisture. They can be electrically conducting,self-cleaning, thermally regulating and insulating, flame resistant, andUV-absorbing, and may enable infrared remission. They may be suitablefor sensors.

Stainless steel yarn contains fibers made of a blend of nylon orpolyester and steel. Its properties include high abrasion resistance,higher cut resistance, high thermal abrasion, high thermal andelectrical conductivity, higher tensile strength and high weight.Stainless steel yarn is only available in grey steel colors to date.

Electrically conducting yarns for the integration of electronic devicesin textile materials.

Fuse yarns (see also section 5.7) are a mixture of a thermoplastic yarnand polyester or nylon. There are essentially three types of fuse yarn:a thermoplastic yarn surrounded by a non-thermoplastic yarn; anon-thermoplastic yarn surrounded by thermoplastic yarn; and pure fuseyarn of a thermoplastic material. After being heated to the meltingtemperature, the thermoplastic yarn fuses with the non-thermoplasticyarn (e.g. polyester or nylon), stiffening the textile material. Themelting temperature of the thermoplastic yarn is defined accordingly.

A shrinking yarn is a dual-component yarn. The outer component is ashrinking material, which shrinks when a defined temperature isexceeded. The inner component is a non-shrinking yarn, such as polyesteror nylon. Shrinking increases the stiffness of the textile material.

Further yarns for application in shoe uppers are luminescent orreflecting yarns.

5.4 Polymer Coating

Due to their structure with loops/stitches, weft-knitted or warp-knittedtextile materials are considerably more flexible and stretchable thanwoven textile materials. For certain applications and requirements, e.g.in certain areas of a shoe upper, it is therefore necessary to reduceflexibility and stretchability in order to achieve sufficient stability.

For this purpose, a polymer coating may be applied to one side or bothsides of knitted fabrics (weft-knit or warp-knit goods), but generallyalso to other textile materials. Such a polymer coating causes areinforcement and/or stiffening of the textile material. In a shoeupper, it can serve the purpose of supporting and/or stiffening in thearea of the toes, in the area of the heel, or in other areas, forexample. Furthermore, the elasticity of the textile material andparticularly the stretchability are reduced. Moreover, the polymercoating protects the textile material against abrasion. Furthermore, itis possible to give the textile material a three-dimensional shape bymeans of the polymer coating using compression-molding.

In a first step of polymer coating, the polymer material is applied toone side of the textile material. However, it can also be applied toboth sides. The material can be applied by spraying on, coating with ascraper or coating knife, laying on, printing on, sintering, spreading,or by applying a polymer bead. An important method of applying isspraying on, which may be automatically performed. This can be carriedout by a tool similar to a hot glue gun. Spraying on enables the polymermaterial to be evenly applied in thin layers. Moreover, spraying on is afast method.

In various embodiments, the polymer spray on process may be automated.Preferably, the polymer material may be sprayed on in an automatedprocess with a robot. The design of the polymer coating, e.g. itsthickness and its two-dimensional or three-dimensional profile, may becontrolled by suitably programming the robot. Thus, the spray on processmay be carried out fast and reproducibly, and the design of the polymercoating can be flexibly varied as well as precisely controlled.

In further embodiments, the polymer material is applied by dipping thetextile material in a polymer solution comprising polymer particles andwater. The textile material may be completely dipped into the polymersolution, and the solution soaks through the textile material.Alternatively, only one surface of the textile material may be dipped orpartly dipped into the solution at a time. In that case, the polymersolution may partially soak through the textile material, wherein theextent of soaking through may be controlled by the duration of thedipping process. In some embodiments, a further surface of the textilematerial, e.g. the opposite surface of the previously dipped-in surface,may be dipped or partly dipped into the same or into a different polymersolution having different properties such as different color pigments,different fibers, etc. Thus, the same or different polymer solution(s)may also partially soak through the textile material from furthersurfaces.

After the one or more dipping steps, excess polymer may be squeezed outof the textile material, e.g. with a roller, particularly in cases wherethe polymer solution was made to soak through the textile material.Subsequently, the textile material with soaked-in polymer is dried withheat.

In some embodiments, the polymer is applied by means of a “Foulard”technique: After dipping the textile material into a polymer solutionand squeezing out excess polymer e.g. with a roller, as described above,the textile material is dried with heat such that the polymerinfiltrates and/or coats the yarn of the textile material.

In other embodiments, the polymer is applied by means of a“thermosetting” technique: After the aforementioned dipping andsqueezing out steps, the textile material is stretched out.Subsequently, a heat setting process is carried out.

In various embodiments, the polymer is applied in at least one layerwith a thickness of about 0.2-1 mm. It can be applied in one or severallayers, whereby the layers can be of different thicknesses. There can becontinuous transitions from thinner areas to thicker areas betweenneighboring areas of different thicknesses. In the same manner,different polymer materials may be used in different areas, as will bedescribed in the following.

During application, polymer material attaches itself to the points ofcontact or points of intersection, respectively, of the yarns of thetextile material, on the one hand, and to the gaps between the yarns, onthe other hand, forming a closed polymer surface on the textile materialafter the processing steps described in the following. However, in caseof larger mesh openings or holes in the textile structure, this closedpolymer surface may also be intermittent, e.g. so as to enableventilation. This also depends on the thickness of the applied material:The thinner the polymer material is applied, the easier it is for theclosed polymer surface to be intermittent. Moreover, the polymermaterial may also penetrate the yarn and soak it, thus contributing toits stiffening.

After application of the polymer material, the textile material issubjected to heat and pressure. The polymer material liquefies in thisstep and fuses with the yarn of the textile material.

In a further optional step, the textile material may be pressed into athree-dimensional shape in a machine for compression-molding. Forexample, the area of the heel or the area of the toes can bethree-dimensionally shaped over a last. Alternatively, the textilematerial may also be directly fitted to a foot.

After pressing and molding, the reaction time until complete stiffeningmay be one to two days, depending on the type of polymer material used.

The following polymer materials may be used: polyester;polyester-urethane pre-polymer; acrylate; acetate; reactive polyolefins;co-polyester; polyamide; co-polyamide; reactive systems (mainlypolyurethane systems reactive with H₂O or O₂); polyurethanes;thermoplastic polyurethanes; and polymeric dispersions.

Further, the polymer material may comprise fibers and/or pigments. Thus,the properties of the textile material may be changed. In certainembodiments, the fibers change at least one mechanical property, such asstability, stiffness, cut-resistance, etc. provided by a polymer coatingapplied to a textile material. In certain embodiments, carbon fibers areadded to increase the stability provided by a polymer coating. Further,para-aramid fibers, e.g. Kevlar®, may be added for increased cutresistance. Additionally or alternatively, color pigments may be addedto create a desired color appearance of a polymer coating irrespectiveof the specific polymer material used. The described addition of fibersor pigments does not affect the manufacturing process. Fiber-reinforcedpolymer material with and without pigments may be sprayed on or appliedto the textile material in any of the further ways, as described above.In particular, fibers and pigments may be added to a polymer solutioninto which the textile material is dipped.

In certain embodiments, a non-woven polymer material e.g. a fleece isapplied to the textile material. In these embodiments, the non-wovenpolymer material may be applied to that surface of the textile materialthat is to form the inner surface of an upper. Thus, the inner surfaceof an upper may be manufactured in an advantageous manner. In someembodiments, the non-woven polymer material is applied to the surface ofthe textile material, which forms the inner surface of an upper, and inaddition may be applied to the surface of the textile material formingthe outer surface of an upper. Therein, the non-woven polymer materialmay be applied in the heel and/or toe area. Thus, a convenient feel atthe inner surface of an upper and a suitable stability in desiredportions of the upper may be provided in a manufacturing step based on asingle material.

In some embodiments, the non-woven polymer material is heat pressed orironed to the respective surface or area of the textile material.According to certain embodiments, the polymer material used has amelting temperature of about 160° C.

The polymer material may comprise a viscosity of about 50-80 Pa·s atabout 90-150° C., and may further comprise a viscosity of about 15-50Pa·s at about 110-150° C.

The hardened polymer material may comprise a hardness of about 40-60Shore D. Depending on the application, other ranges of hardness are alsoconceivable.

The described polymer coating is meaningful wherever support functions,stiffening, increased abrasion resistance, elimination ofstretchability, increased comfort and/or fitting to prescribedthree-dimensional geometries are desired. It is also conceivable to fita shoe upper to the individual shape of the foot of the person wearingit, by polymer material being applied to the shoe upper and thenadapting it to the shape of the foot under heat.

5.5 Monofilaments for Reinforcement

Monofilaments are yarns consisting of one single filament, that is, onesingle fiber. Therefore, the stretchability of monofilaments isconsiderably lower than that of yarns that are manufactured from manyfibers. As a result also the stretchability of knitted fabricsmanufactured from monofilaments is reduced. Monofilaments are typicallymade from polyamide. However, other materials, such as polyester orother thermoplastic materials, are also conceivable.

Thus, while a textile material made from a monofilament is considerablymore rigid and less stretchable, this material does, however, not havethe desired surface properties such as e.g. smoothness, colors,transport of moisture, outer appearance and variety of textilestructures as usual textile materials have. This disadvantage isovercome by the material described in the following.

FIG. 4 depicts a weft-knitted textile material having a weft-knittedlayer made from yarn and a weft-knitted layer made from themonofilament. The layer of monofilament is knitted into the layer ofyarn. The resulting two-layered material is considerably more solid andless stretchable than the layer made from yarn alone. If themonofilament is slightly melted, the monofilament connects even betterwith the yarn.

FIG. 4 particularly depicts a front view 41 and a back view 42 of atwo-layered material 40. Both views show a first weft-knitted layer 43made from a yarn and a second weft-knitted layer 44 made from themonofilament. The first textile layer 43 made from a yarn is connectedto the second layer 44 by stitches 45. Thus, the greater solidity andthe reduced stretchability of the second textile layer 44 made from themonofilament is transferred to the first textile layer 43 made from theyarn.

The monofilament may also be slightly melted in order to connect withthe layer of yarn and to further limit any stretching. The monofilamentthen fuses with the points of connection with the yarn and fixes theyarn towards the layer made from the monofilament.

5.6 Combination of Monofilaments and Polymer Coating

The weft-knitted material having two layers described in the precedingsection may additionally be reinforced by a polymer coating as describedin section 5.4. The polymer material is applied to the weft-knittedlayer made from monofilaments. It does not connect to the polyamidematerial of the monofilaments, since the monofilament has a smooth andround surface, but essentially penetrates the underlying layer of yarn.During subsequent pressing, the polymer material therefore fuses withthe yarn of the first layer and reinforces the first layer.

The polymer material has a lower melting point than the yarn of thefirst layer and the monofilament of the second layer, and thetemperature during pressing is selected such that only the polymermaterial melts.

5.7 Fuse Yarn

For reinforcement and for the reduction of stretching, the yarn of aknitted fabric may also be supplemented with thermoplastic material thatfixes the knitted fabric after pressing. There are essentially threetypes of fuse yarn: a thermoplastic yarn surrounded by anon-thermoplastic yarn; a non-thermoplastic yarn surrounded by athermoplastic yarn; and a pure fuse yarn of a thermoplastic material. Inorder to improve the bond between the thermoplastic material and theyarn, the yarn's surface is texturized. In certain embodiments, pressingtakes place at a temperature ranging from about 110 to 150° C., and mayfurther take place at a temperature of about 130° C. The thermoplasticmaterial melts at least partially in the process and fuses with theyarn. After pressing, the knitted fabric is cooled so that the bond ishardened and stabilized.

In certain embodiments, the fuse yarn is knitted into the knittedfabric. In case of several layers, the fuse yarn may be knitted intoone, several, or all layers of the knitted fabric.

In other embodiments, the fuse yarn may be arranged between two layersof a knitted fabric. In doing so, the fuse yarn may simply be placedbetween the layers. An arrangement between the layers has the advantagethat the mold is not contaminated during pressing and molding, sincethere is no direct contact between the fuse yarn and the mold.

5.8 Further Techniques

Various techniques will be described in the following, which may berelevant to the manufacture of a shoe upper made from knitted fabric(weft-knitted).

A textile material having more than one layer provides further possibleconstructions for the textile material, which provide many advantages.Several layers fundamentally increase solidness and stability of thetextile material. In this regard, the resulting solidity depends on theextent to which, and the techniques by which, the layers are connectedto each other. The same material or different materials may be used forthe individual layers. A weft-knitted textile material having aweft-knitted layer made from yarn and a weft-knitted layer made frommonofilament whose stitches are enmeshed was previously described insection 5.5. In particular, the stretchability of the weft-knitted layeris reduced due to the combination of different materials. It is anadvantageous alternative of this construction to arrange a layer madefrom monofilament between two layers made from yarn in order to reducestretchability and to increase solidity of the material. A comfortablesurface made from yarn is obtained on both sides of the textile materialin this way, in contrast to a harder surface made from a monofilament.

Multi-layered constructions also provide opportunities for color design,by different colors being used for different layers.

An alternative of multi-layered constructions are pockets, in which twotextile layers are connected to each other only on one side so that ahollow space is created. It is then possible to introduce a foammaterial, for example, through an opening, e.g. at the tongue, the shoeupper, the heel or in other areas. Alternatively, the pocket may also befilled with a knitted fabric spacer.

A tongue may be manufactured as a continuous piece and connected withthe shoe upper subsequently, or it can be manufactured in one piece withthe shoe upper. Ridges on the inside may improve the flexibility of thetongue and ensure that a distance is created between the tongue and thefoot, which ensures additional ventilation. Laces may be guided throughone or several weft-knitted tunnels of the tongue. The tongue may alsobe reinforced with polymer in order to achieve stabilization of thetongue and e.g. prevent a very thin tongue from convolving. Moreover,the tongue can then also be fitted to the shape of the last or the foot.

Three-dimensional knitted fabrics may be used wherever additionalcushioning or protection is desired, e.g. at the shoe upper or thetongue. Three-dimensional structures may also serve to create distancesbetween neighboring textile layers or also between a textile layer andthe foot, thus ensuring ventilation.

The knitted fabric is particularly stretchable in the direction of thestitches (longitudinal direction) due to its construction. Thisstretching may be reduced e.g. by a polymer coating, as described abovein section 5.4. The stretching may also be reduced by various measuresin the knitted fabric itself. One possibility is reducing the size ofthe mesh openings, that is, using a smaller needle size. This techniquecan be used at the shoe upper, for example. Moreover, the stretching ofthe knitted fabric can be reduced by knitted reinforcement, e.g.three-dimensional structures. Such structures may be arranged on theinside or the outside of a shoe upper. Furthermore, a non-stretchableyarn may be laid in a tunnel in order to limit stretching.

Colored areas with several colors may be created by using a differentthread and/or by additional layers. In transitional areas, smaller meshopenings (smaller needle sizes) are used in order to achieve a fluentpassage of colors. Further effects may be achieved by weft-knittedinserts (inlaid works) or Jacquard knitting.

5.9 Shoe Upper

FIG. 5 depicts a schematic representation of a certain embodiments for ashoe upper 1, in which the techniques described above are applied.

The shoe upper 1 depicted in FIG. 5 is weft-knitted in one piece fromthe top to the bottom, from the first stitch 601 to the last stitch 602.For finishing, the shoe upper 1 is combined along lines 603.

In the area of the toes 610, reinforcement of the shoe upper isadvantageous in order to protect the toes from impacts and to offersupport to the foot in this exposed area. Moreover, three-dimensionalmolding may be desirable in this area.

Reinforcement of the textile material may essentially be achieved infour ways. Firstly, a smaller needle diameter may be used, resulting ingreater density of stitches and thus greater solidity of theweft-knitted material. Secondly, the area of the toes 610 may beweft-knitted in a multi-layered manner, as described above in section5.8.

Thirdly, a fuse yarn may be used in one or several layers, as describedabove in section 5.7. In doing so, a layer may either be entirelyweft-knitted from fuse yarn or merely include a fuse yarn. Fourthly, thearea 610 may be reinforced by a polymer coating, as described above insection 5.4. By subsequent melting under pressure and heat and theensuing cooling and hardening, the area of the toes is givensubstantially greater solidness. Finally, this area can be given athree-dimensional shape by pressure-molding (see section 5.4).

Combining two or more of the aforementioned techniques results inparticularly effective reinforcement.

The base area 620 spans large parts of the shoe upper 1. Considerablygreater air-permeability is desirable in this area than in the area ofthe toes 610 and in the area of the heel 650, in order to enable goodventilation of a shoe having the shoe upper 1. In order to solve thisproblem, a smaller stitch diameter may be used, on the one hand, whichgives the weft-knitted material made from yarn great solidness.

On the other hand, apertures are provided for in the weft-knittingpattern, which enable airflow. However, these apertures increase thestretchability of the weft-knitted material. In order to make theresulting weft-knitted material more solid and less stretchable, asecond layer made from monofilament is therefore knitted in or connectedwith the first layer in another manner on the inside of the base area620. Since the monofilament has a low stretchability, the stretchabilityof the first layer is also decreased.

In order to prevent a significant restriction of air-permeability of thefirst layer made from yarn, the size of the stitches for themonofilament of the second layer may be larger than that for the yarn onthe first layer and/or the thread thickness of the monofilament may besignificantly smaller than that of the yarn of the first layer. This canalso be seen in FIG. 6: The stitch diameter 692 of the monofilament isso wide and the thread thickness 691 of the monofilament is so smallthat the apertures of the first layer are not closed and air flowcontinues to be possible.

In some embodiments, the diameter of the apertures is approximately 1-2mm and there are approximately 8-12 apertures per cm². Due to thesedimensions, a certain ventilation of the shoe is enabled, on the onehand, and, on the other hand, the two-layered material of the area 620is of sufficient solidity to support the foot during movement againstthe occurring forces.

In certain embodiments, a texturized knitting polyester yarn with a yarnthickness of about 660-840 dtx, comprising four to five individualthreads, with each individual thread having a yarn thickness of about160-170 dtx, is used for the base area 620. The unit dtx refers to ayarn with a yarn thickness of about 1 g/10,000 m. According to someembodiments, the base area is weft-knitted with a fine structure ofabout 12-14 stitches per inch.

The areas 630 are optional and have greater air-permeability than thesurrounding areas, e.g. the area 620, due to a wider diameter of theapertures in the pattern of the material and/or a greater density ofthese apertures.

The areas 640 are arranged on the medial and lateral side of the shoeupper and are manufactured with a suitable pattern of the material inorder to ensure support of the foot in these areas. The areas 640 have asmaller diameter of the apertures in the pattern of the material and/ora smaller density of these apertures than the base area 620, in order toachieve greater solidness. In order to reduce stretching, the areas 640may also be coated with a polymer material, as described in section 5.4.

The area of the heel 650 may also be reinforced by a multi-layeredtextile material. Furthermore, the area of the heel 650 may be providedwith a further layer of monofilament, as described in section 5.5, inorder to reduce the stretchability of that area.

Considerable reinforcement of the area of the heel 650 as well as thearea of the toes 610 is achieved by using fuse yarn, as described abovein section 5.7. Moreover, the area of the heel 650, just as the area ofthe toes 610, may be coated with a polymer material to reinforce theweft-knitted textile material, as described above in section 5.4. Theuse of fuse yarn results in stiffer material than a polymer coating,since fuse yarn is capable of forming a thicker layer. On the otherhand, using polymer is cheaper than using fuse yarn. Therefore, it mayalso be possible to apply a polymer coating in different thicknesses,e.g. thicker in the area of the heel 650 and/or the area of the toes 610than in the medial/lateral areas 640.

The area 660 runs along the area of the shoe's opening and the lacingand is additionally reinforced, e.g. by a multi-layered textilematerial, which may also comprise a monofilament. In order to furtherreinforce the material, the area 660 is reinforced with a polymermaterial, which may have a greater thickness than in the areas 640, e.g.by coating with several layers. Apertures for the laces may be meltedthrough.

The so-called gusset technique, which is depicted in FIG. 7, can be usedfor the area 670. The gusset technique enables clustering more knittingstitches, which makes it possible to finalize outlines, particularlyround outlines such as the end outline 71 of the upper, in a better andmore precise manner. Reference number 72 designates the separation linefor the gusset technique.

The area 670 at the upper back end of the shoe upper 1 may e.g. beformed as a pocket by a double-layered material, which is open on oneend in order to place a foam material therein for wear comfort and inorder to protect the foot. Alternatively, a knitted fabric spacer mayprovide the desired cushioning. The area 670 is weft-knitted in onepiece with the rest of the shoe upper 1. It comprises two layers madefrom yarn (no monofilament), whereas these two layers are not enmeshed.They are connected on one side such that a pocket is formed.

The structures 680 are embossed by suitable weft-knitting patterns andstructures and may be of different colors, respectively. Moreover, auniform weft-knitting pattern may span the respective strips. Adifferent weft-knitting technique is applied in the area of structures680, so as to enable a transition of colors. The structures 680 mayadditionally also be arranged symmetrically in the second one of theareas 640.

FIG. 8 shows additional embodiments of a shoe upper 1, particularly itsoutside 81 and its inside 82, as well as an assembled shoe with a shoeupper, whose areas have a different form than in the shoe upper 1, whichis depicted in views 81 and 82. FIG. 8 particularly shows the area ofthe toes 610, the base area 620, the lateral and the medial areas 640,the area of the heel 650, the reinforcement area 660, the area 670 withthe pocket, and the structures 680, which were described in connectionwith FIG. 5. Reference number 72 once again designates the separationline for the gusset technique, which makes it possible to finalize theend outline 71 in a better and more precise manner, as mentioned above.

FIG. 9 shows further embodiments of a shoe upper 1 and of a shoe 2 witha shoe upper 1. FIG. 9 once again shows the area of the toes 610, thebase area 620, the area of the heel 650, the reinforcement area 660, thearea 670 with the pocket and the structures 680, which were described inconnection with FIG. 5.

5.10 Computerized Knitting Machines

The manufacture of a shoe upper by knitting can be fully automated onknitting machines, as they are for example provided by the companyStoll. A knitting program is programmed for that purpose, andsubsequently the process runs automatically, virtually without furthereffort. The manufacture of a shoe can be rapidly re-programmed withoutgreat effort, i.e. it is possible to change areas, to adjust the size,to exchange yarns and alter patterns of the material without having tochange the machine itself.

Thus, the design of the shoe (color, shape, size, fit, function) can berapidly modified. This is advantageous for production in a factory, aswell as for production at a point of sale. Thus, a customer mightspecify his or her data in a shop and the shoe would subsequently beknitted according to his or her individual dimensions. The shoe can beadjusted to the person wearing it by the shoe upper being adjusted tothe shape of the foot of the person wearing the shoe.

To this end, it is possible to adjust areas coated with polymer material(see section 5.4) as well as areas with fuse yarn (see section 5.7) to alast or a foot. FIG. 10 shows how a shoe upper 1 is adjusted to a last1000 by means of a back-cap preforming machine 1010 (the knittedportions of the shoe upper 1 are schematically shown by the irregularhatch in FIG. 10). In the left part of FIG. 10, the shoe upper 1 hasalready been placed around the last 1000. In the right part of FIG. 10,the back cap of the shoe upper 1 is pressed against the last 1000 byjaws 1020, whereby the polymer material and/or the fuse yarn melts,which causes the back cap to be permanently deformed according to theshape of the last.

The following examples are described to facilitate a deeperunderstanding of the invention:

-   -   1. Shoe upper (1) for a shoe, in particular a sports shoe (2),        having        -   a. a first portion and a second portion which are jointly            manufactured as a knitted fabric (11, 12, 13);        -   b. wherein only one (610, 650) of the first portion and the            second portion of the knitted fabric (11, 12, 13) is            reinforced by a coating of a polymer material applied to the            shoe upper (1).    -   2. Shoe upper (1) according to the preceding example, wherein        the knitted fabric (11, 12) is weft-knitted.    -   3. Shoe upper (1) according to example 1, wherein the knitted        fabric (13) is warp-knitted.    -   4. Shoe upper (1) according to any one of the preceding        examples, wherein yarns of the knitted fabric (11, 12, 13) are        positioned by the coating of a polymer material applied to the        shoe upper (1).    -   5. Shoe upper (1) according to any one of the preceding        examples, wherein the polymer material comprises fibers and/or        pigments.    -   6. Shoe upper (1) according to one of the preceding examples,        wherein the polymer material is applied to the inside of the        shoe upper (1).    -   7. Shoe upper (1) according to one of the preceding examples,        wherein the polymer material is applied to the shoe upper in a        liquid state.    -   8. Shoe upper (1) according to one of the preceding examples,        wherein the polymer material has a viscosity in the range of        15-80 Pa·s at 90-150° C., preferably 15-50 Pa·s at 110-150° C.    -   9. Shoe upper (1) according to one of the preceding examples,        wherein the applied polymer material has a hardness in the range        of 40-60 shore D.    -   10. Shoe upper (1) according to one of the preceding examples,        wherein the polymer material is applied with a thickness of        0.2-1 mm in at least one layer.    -   11. Shoe upper (1) according to example 10, wherein the polymer        material is applied in several layers.    -   12. Shoe upper (1) according to the preceding example, wherein        at least two layers have different thicknesses.    -   13. Shoe upper (1) according to one of the preceding examples,        wherein the portion which is reinforced with the polymer        material is arranged in the toe area (610).    -   14. Shoe upper (1) according to one of the preceding examples,        wherein the portion which is reinforced with the polymer        material is arranged in the heel area (650).    -   15. Shoe upper (1) according to one of the preceding examples,        wherein the portion which is reinforced with the polymer        material is arranged on a lateral side and/or a medial side in        the midfoot area of the shoe upper.    -   16. Shoe upper (1) according to one of the preceding examples,        wherein the first and/or the second portion of the knitted        fabric (11, 12, 13) comprises a first textile layer and a second        textile layer, wherein the first textile layer comprises a yarn,        and wherein the second textile layer comprises a monofilament.    -   17. Shoe upper (1) according to the preceding example, wherein        the portion in which the knitted fabric (11, 12, 13) is        reinforced by a coating of a polymer material applied to the        shoe upper (1) comprises the first textile layer and the second        textile layer.    -   18. Shoe upper (1) according to the preceding example, wherein        the polymer material is arranged on the second textile layer.    -   19. Shoe upper (1) according to one of the examples 16-18,        wherein the portion comprising the first textile layer and the        second textile layer is arranged in the area of the toes, the        midfoot, the heel and/or the lacing of the shoe upper (1).    -   20. Shoe upper (1) according to one of the preceding examples,        wherein the knitted fabric (11, 12, 13) further comprises a fuse        yarn which comprises a thermoplastic material.    -   21. Shoe upper (1) according to one of the examples 16-19 in        connection with example 19, wherein the fuse yarn is arranged in        the first textile layer and/or the second textile layer.    -   22. Shoe upper (1) according to example 20, wherein the fuse        yarn is arranged between the first textile layer and the second        textile layer.    -   23. Shoe upper (1) according to one of the preceding claims,        wherein the polymer material comprises a non-woven polymer        material.    -   24. Shoe upper (1) according to one of the examples 2 or 3 in        connection with one of the examples 16-22, wherein the first        textile layer and the second textile layer are connected by        weft-knitting or by warp-knitting.    -   25. Shoe upper (1) for a shoe, in particular a sports shoe (2),        having        -   a. at least one portion which comprises a weft-knitted            material;        -   b. wherein the weft-knitted material comprises a first            weft-knitted layer of a yarn and a second weft-knitted layer            of a monofilament;        -   c. wherein the second weft-knitted layer and the first            weft-knitted layer are connected such that the stretching of            the first weft-knitted layer is reduced by the second            weft-knitted layer.    -   26. Shoe upper (1) for a shoe according to example 25, wherein        the second weft-knitted layer is only connected to the first        weft-knitted layer.    -   27. Shoe upper (1) for a shoe according to example 25 or 26,        wherein the first textile layer and the second textile layer are        knitted to each other.    -   28. Shoe upper (1) for a shoe according to one of the examples        25-27, wherein the first textile layer comprises apertures for        airing.    -   29. Shoe upper (1) for a shoe according to one of examples the        25-28, wherein the second textile layer comprises larger        stitches than the first textile layer.    -   30. Method of manufacture of a shoe upper (1) for a shoe, in        particular a sports shoe (2), wherein the shoe upper comprises a        first portion and a second portion which are jointly        manufactured as a knitted fabric (11, 12, 13), comprising the        step of:        -   applying a polymer layer as a coating in only one (610, 650)            of the first portion and the second portion of the shoe            upper (1).    -   31. Method of manufacture of a shoe upper (1) according to the        preceding example, further comprising the step of pressing the        polymer-coated portion of the shoe upper (1) under pressure and        heat.    -   32. Method of manufacture of a shoe upper (1) according to one        of the examples 30-31, wherein the polymer layer is sprayed on.    -   33. Method of manufacture of a shoe upper (1) according to one        of the examples 31-32, wherein the polymer layer is applied by        coating with a doctor knife or laying on.    -   34. Method of manufacture of a shoe upper (1) according to one        of the examples 30-31, wherein the polymer material is applied        by dipping the knitted fabric (11, 12, 13) at least in part into        a polymer solution.    -   35. Method of manufacture of a shoe upper (1) according to        example 30, wherein the polymer material comprises a non-woven        polymer material, and wherein the step of applying involves heat        pressing the non-woven polymer material onto the knitted fabric.    -   36. Method of manufacture of a shoe upper (1) according to one        of the examples 30-35, wherein the knitted fabric (11, 12, 13)        comprises a first textile layer and a second textile layer,        wherein the first textile layer comprises a yarn and wherein the        second textile layer comprises a monofilament, further        comprising the steps of:        -   applying a polymer material to the second layer; and        -   pressing the shoe upper (1) under pressure and temperature,            wherein the polymer material melts and then penetrates the            second textile layer and substantially coats the first            textile layer.    -   37. Method of manufacture of a shoe upper (1) according to one        of the examples 30-36, wherein the method further comprises:        -   compression-molding the textile material.    -   38. Method of manufacture of a shoe upper (1) according to one        of the examples 36-37, wherein the monofilament and the yarn        comprise a higher melting point than the polymer layer.    -   39. Method of manufacture of a shoe upper (1) according to one        of the examples 30-38, wherein the yarn comprises a fuse yarn        which comprises a thermoplastic material.    -   40. Method of manufacture of a shoe upper (1) according to the        example 39, wherein the monofilament and the yarn comprise a        higher melting point than the thermoplastic material of the fuse        yarn.    -   41. Method of manufacture of a shoe upper (1) according to any        of the preceding examples 30-40, wherein the polymer material is        applied to the inside of the shoe upper (1).

Different arrangements of the components depicted in the drawings ordescribed above, as well as components and steps not shown or describedare possible. Similarly, some features and sub-combinations are usefuland may be employed without reference to other features andsub-combinations. Embodiments of the invention have been described forillustrative and not restrictive purposes, and alternative embodimentswill become apparent to readers of this patent. Accordingly, the presentinvention is not limited to the embodiments described above or depictedin the drawings, and various embodiments and modifications may be madewithout departing from the scope of the claims below.

That which is claimed is:
 1. A shoe upper for a shoe comprising: a firstportion and a second portion which are jointly manufactured as a knittedfabric; wherein only one of the first portion and the second portion ofthe knitted fabric is reinforced by a coating of a polymer materialapplied to the shoe upper.
 2. The shoe upper according to claim 1,wherein the knitted fabric is weft-knitted.
 3. The shoe upper accordingto claim 1, wherein yarns of the knitted fabric are positioned by thecoating of the polymer material applied to the shoe upper.
 4. The shoeupper according to claim 1, wherein the polymer material comprisesfibers or pigments.
 5. The shoe upper according to claim 1, wherein thepolymer material is applied to the inside of the shoe upper.
 6. The shoeupper according to claim 1, wherein the polymer material is applied inat least one layer with a thickness of about 0.2-1 mm.
 7. The shoe upperaccording to claim 1, wherein the polymer material is applied in severallayers.
 8. The shoe upper according to claim 7, wherein at least twolayers have different thicknesses.
 9. The shoe upper according to claim1, wherein at least one of the first portion and the second portion ofthe knitted fabric comprises a first textile layer and a second textilelayer, wherein the first textile layer comprises a yarn, and wherein thesecond textile layer comprises a monofilament.
 10. The shoe upperaccording to claim 9, wherein the knitted fabric further comprises afuse yarn comprising a thermoplastic material.
 11. The shoe upperaccording to claim 10, wherein the fuse yarn is arranged between thefirst textile layer and the second textile layer.
 12. The shoe upperaccording to claim 1, wherein the polymer material comprises a non-wovenpolymer material.
 13. A method of manufacture of a shoe upper for ashoe, in particular a sports shoe, wherein the shoe upper comprises afirst portion and a second portion which are jointly manufactured as aknitted fabric, comprising the step of: applying a polymer material as acoating in only one of the first portion and the second portion of theshoe upper.
 14. The method of manufacture of a shoe upper according toclaim 13, wherein the polymer material is applied by dipping the knittedfabric at least in part into a polymer solution.
 15. The method ofmanufacture of a shoe upper according to claim 13, wherein the polymermaterial comprises a non-woven polymer material, and wherein the step ofapplying involves heat pressing the non-woven polymer material onto theknitted fabric.
 16. The method of manufacture of a shoe upper accordingto claim 13, wherein the knitted fabric comprises a first textile layerand a second textile layer, wherein the first textile layer comprises ayarn and wherein the second textile layer comprises a monofilament,further comprising the steps of: applying the polymer material to thesecond textile layer; and pressing the shoe upper under pressure andtemperature, wherein the polymer material melts and then penetrates thesecond textile layer and substantially coats portions of the firsttextile layer.
 17. The method according to claim 13, wherein the polymermaterial is applied to the inside of the shoe upper.